ckets were turned inside out, though.'

'Oh, they was, was they, Mr Inspector? Well, that does look queer. But
if there was any light-fingered business to be done, I dessay them
gipsies hev somethin' to do with it.'

'Did the man go to the gipsy camp on Sunday night?'

'Bell ses he did,' replied Mr Mosk, 'but I went over to Southberry in
the arternoon about a little 'oss as I'm sweet on, so I don't know what
he did, save by 'earsay.'

Bell, on being questioned by the inspector, declared that Jentham had
loitered about the hotel the greater part of Sunday, but had taken his
departure about five o'clock. He did not say that he was going to the
camp, but as he often paid a visit to it, she presumed that he had gone
there during that evening. 'Especially as you found his corpse on the
common, Mr Tinkler,' said Bell, 'no doubt the poor wretch was coming
back from them gipsies.'

'Humph! it's not a bad idea,' said Tinkler, scratching his well-shaven
chin. 'Strikes me as I'll go and look up Mother Jael.'

The result of an interview with that iniquitous old beldame proved that
Jentham had certainly been the guest of the gipsies on Sunday evening
but had returned to Beorminster shortly after nine o'clock. He had
stated that he was going back to The Derby Winner, and as it was his
custom to come and go when he pleased, the Romany had not taken much
notice of his departure. A vagrant like Jentham was quite independent of
time.

'He was one of your lot, I suppose?' said Mr Inspector, taking a few
notes in his pocket-book--a secretive little article which shut with a
patent clasp.

'Yes, dearie, yes! Lord bless 'ee,' mumbled Mother Jael, blinking her
cunning eyes, 'he was one of the gentle Romany sure enough.'

'Was he with you long, granny?'

'Three week, lovey, jus' three week. He cum to Beorminster and got
weary like of you Gentiles, so he made hisself comforbal with us.'

'Blackguards to blackguards, and birds of a feather' murmured Tinkler;
then asked if Jentham had told Mother Jael anything about himself.

'He!' screeched the old hag, 'he niver tol' me a word. He cum an' he
go'd; but he kep his red rag to himself, he did. Duvel! he was a cunning
one that Jentham.'

'Was his name Jentham, mother; or was it something else?'

'He called hisself so, dearie, but I niver knowed one of that gentle
Romany as had a Gentile name. We sticks to our own mos'ly. Job! I shud
think so.'

'Are you sure he was a gipsy?'

'C